


Rescues Unlooked For

by midget_boss



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Prequel Trilogy, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Asaji Ventress isn't much better, Dooku Being an Asshole (Star Wars), Gen, Hurt, Reluctant Caretaking, Rescue
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-31
Updated: 2020-10-31
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:14:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,770
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27301750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/midget_boss/pseuds/midget_boss
Summary: Obi-Wan Kenobi doesn't usually end up rescued twice. He would have preferred to skip the first rescue altogether.
Comments: 3
Kudos: 47





	Rescues Unlooked For

**Author's Note:**

> For Whumptober prompts No 1 Let’s hang out sometime (waking up restrained/shackled), No 2 In the hands of the enemy (Collars/kidnapped), and No 7 I’ve got you (enemy to caretaker). This is not technically part of my One Universe Over series.
> 
> Additional warnings: one person enjoying someone suffering; Dooku and Asajj's relationship is not healthy here; possible second hand embarrassment; not beta read

“Well, isn’t this delightful,” Count Dooku murmured as he walked in.

Obi-Wan didn’t need to open his eyes to know him, so he kept them shut. The man tisked and grabbed his face. “You’re not usually this rude, Kenobi. You could at least spare me your attention.”

“I don’t have the energy,” Obi-Wan muttered through his dry mouth.

“I see,” Count Dooku said. He released Obi-Wan and stepped back, probably to get a good look at him.

Well, there was plenty to look at. The Zygerian slavers that had caught him had been determined to have their pound of flesh for what happened on Kadavo. And they’d taken it, plus some extra. Obi-Wan was grateful that no one else had been captured with him this time. Aayla had continued on with the mission. He’d felt her leave the atmosphere when he’d managed to slip his Force-null cuffs.

“How long as he been like this?” Count Dooku asked mildly.

Obi-Wan knew that tone. He had never spent much time with the count without Master Qui-Gon until recently, but he had heard the echo of that tone from his former master. Count Dooku was going to pull his lightsaber out soon.

“In chains? Five days,” someone answered. Oddly, Obi-Wan didn’t recognize the voice. “But I swear to you he had more fight when we contacted you.”

“That was two days ago,” Count Dooku murmured quietly. “What could possibly have changed in that time?”

No. Obi-Wan didn’t want to think about it. He couldn’t allow himself to think about it, so he filled his mind with as much white noise as he could. The sound of a lightsaber igniting caught his attention. There wasn’t even a scream or a plea, just the sound of something heavy dropping to the floor.

“Well, that takes care of one problem,” Count Dooku announced. He walked back over, lightsaber still humming. “Now to deal with the other.”

Obi-Wan was too tired to respond. He didn’t lift his head or open his eyes.

“Nothing?” Count Dooku demanded scornfully. “No response? No sarcastic assurance that you will prevail? Have you given up completely?”

“Don’t have the energy,” Obi-Wan mumbled.

“I see,” Count Dooku said. The lightsaber arced through the air and suddenly Obi-Wan found himself falling. He was caught and thrown over a shoulder as the lightsaber shut off. “We’ll have to continue this discussion when you do have the energy. It’s so tedious to carry a conversation on your own.”

He almost found something to say to that, but the count took a step that jarred every hurt place on him and the world faded away.

………………………….

“I’m not trying to question you,” Asajj Ventress said silkily. “I’m just establishing boundaries.”

“He’s not for you to touch,” Count Dooku replied coldly. “Clear enough for you?”

“Crystal,” Asajj answered petulantly. “But if I can’t touch him, why am I here?”

“You will tend his injuries until we return,” Count Dooku informed her. “Then he will be handed over to the med droids.”

“Why?” Asajj muttered.

“Did you say something?” Count Dooku demanded icily. “Speak up. You know I hate it when you mumble.”

“How am I supposed to take care of him if I can’t touch him?” Asajj asked through gritted teeth.

“Touch him no more than you have to,” Count Dooku replied scornfully. “I thought that was obvious.”

“Just checking,” Asajj said.

“See to it he is clean and his wounds bandaged before we arrive,” Count Dooku ordered. “If he dies, I will be most displeased.”

“Well that’s a change,” Asajj muttered when the sound of the man’s footsteps faded away. “What happened to my promised reward if I brought you his lightsaber and his head? Typical.”

Obi-Wan heard her move closer. He didn’t relish the thought of being cared for by Asajj Ventress of all people, but he had to admit privately it was better than Count Dooku doing it. The fact that he had obviously not killed him was hard enough to grasp. Anything else might have broken him entirely.

“Well, are you going to say something?” Asajj demanded. She jabbed him in the shoulder. “Come on, don’t leave me hanging. You know what’s that’s like, I hear.”

“Your bedside manner is uniquely you,” Obi-Wan murmured, or tried. What came out was more a jumble of sound than anything.

“So you are awake,” Asajj muttered, sounding pleased. “I thought so. Bet he didn’t catch on, the old bastard.”

“Water,” Obi-Wan tried to ask.

“Ooh, do you want something to drink?” Asajj asked with malicious glee. “I’m not supposed to touch you unless necessary. Helping you drink something probably isn’t.”

“Blood loss,” Obi-Wan whispered. He worked his mouth, hoping for some small hint of moisture at least.

“And dehydration from it,” Asajj agreed cheerfully.

“Can die from,” Obi-Wan managed. The words got caught in his throat and he coughed.

“Oh, very well,” Asajj muttered. “Watching you die slowly isn’t actually entertaining, anyway. Just like you, to drag things out and make them more annoying than necessary.”

She shuffled something around, then lifted his shoulders and shoved something behind him. When the agony faded he could feel he was resting against something soft. Asajj placed something plastic against his lips. He opened his mouth and let her dribble some liquid in, med pack rehydration fluid by the taste.

“I’m sure by now you know how this works,” Asajj cooed when he made a sound as she pulled it away. “I know you’ve had to visit your medic after a few of our battles. Or did your commander take care of you?”

Obi-Wan tried to roll the sparse liquid around in his mouth, but it was barely enough to coat his tongue. He said nothing, just opened his mouth for more.

“Like a helpless little baby,” Asajj cackled maliciously. “Can’t even open your eyes. Or do you just not want to see me? Hoping if you don’t look, I won’t really be here?”

“Ventress,” Count Dooku called as footsteps sounded again. His tone made the room feel colder. “Are you enjoying yourself?”

“I’m tending to him, Master,” Asajj replied carefully.

“It doesn’t look like it,” Count Dooku replied from nearby. “Nor does it sound like it.”

“He needs liquid,” Asajj answered. “I was just giving him some rehydration fluid.”

“Tend to his wounds,” Count Dooku snapped. “I will give him this.”

Obi-Wan shut his mouth and hoped fervently that something would destroy the ship in the next thirty seconds. He was unsurprised when his luck held and he heard, “Come then, Kenobi. Do not waste my time.”

……………………………..

The first time Obi-Wan had to be cut out of his clothes and tended to, complete with a sponge bath which he had been strong enough at the time to protest to no avail, he had been convinced no other experience would ever rival the horror. Clearly, he had been wrong. Not content with the mortification of feeding him sips of fluid, Count Dooku had regaled him the entire time with stories of how Master Qui-Gon was far superior to Obi-Wan in every way. Then he’d tried to force him to eat something. Fortunately, the pilot had requested his presence and he’d left.

“My, you are lucky,” Asajj announced grudgingly. “Apparently, you can’t even suffer correctly. Was this Master Jinn really so perfect?”

“Some think so,” Obi-Wan muttered, thinking back to every time Anakin had thrown Master Qui-Gon in his face.

“But you aren’t among them,” Asajj said shrewdly. “Perfection’s hard to live with, isn’t it?”

Something rocked the ship and alarms started blaring. Asajj crowed. “Sorry, darling, we’ll have to continue this another time. If it’s your friends, I’ll be sure to tell them hello for you before I destroy them.”

Obi-Wan opened his eyes after she left. The room was larger than the officers’ quarters on the Negotiator. There was a medium sized desk with a plant on one corner and a holo projector of the Temple. He rolled carefully to his side and managed, with the help of another roll of the ship, to sit up. Under him, the mattress of the bunk was surprisingly soft. Two pillows had been propping him up.

“Warning, we are being boarded. All droids, report to your stations.”

He’d always thought it must be lonely, being mostly surrounded by droids. There were a few crew, sure, but most of the occupants weren’t organics. Even Anakin, who sometimes seemed to enjoy the company of his droids more than other people, had agreed. Obi-Wan stared at the plant on the desk. It looked like one of Master Qui-Gon’s favorites. If he could just gather enough energy, he would take a quick look before he left.

Blaster fire outside of his room. The room, he corrected. This room, on one of Count Dooku’s ships. He made himself look away from the desk when he heard the sound of footsteps. Obi-Wan stared when the door opened to reveal Quinlan Vos.

“Found you,” Vos announced as he hurried over. He tapped his ear. “I’ve found the prize. Heading back to the ship. Tell med bay to be ready.”

“Prize?” Obi-Wan muttered as Voss pulled his arm over his shoulder. He gasped as they stood. “Hardly. And as you can see, I’ve already been tended.”

“This is what you look like when they took care of you?” Vos demanded as they walked slowly towards the door. “I’m glad I didn’t see you before.”

“You didn’t see it?” Obi-Wan asked. He coughed when his throat seemed to dry out.

“They didn’t take your lovely new accessory off,” Vos replied. “Must be strong enough to affect my psychotelemetry.”

“Huh?”

“It’s probably actually because you weren’t wearing these clothes,” Vos admitted. “I did catch a brief sensation of horror, though. Want to share?”

“Count Dooku assisted,” Obi-Wan said,

“Ew,” Vos muttered. “Enough said.”

Booted footsteps approached rapidly. Vos lifted his blaster, but Obi-Wan leaned against him and muttered, “Troopers.”

Commander Cody came around the corner. “Sirs.” He waited until Vos lowered his weapon before he approached. “We need to move quickly. Droids are trying to surround us.”

“Then carry him,” Vos said as he shifted Obi-Wan’s weight. He pulled out his lightsaber. “I’ll keep the blaster fire off of us.”

“Yes, sir,” Cody replied. He bent and hefted Obi-Wan into his arms. “After you, sir.”

There was so much Obi-Wan wanted to say, but he couldn’t get the words out. Each step jarred him painfully and he felt the last of his strength leave him when he saw Anakin and Ahsoka deflecting blaster fire in front of them. He let his consciousness go.

**Author's Note:**

> I waited until the end of the month to post this in case any more came to me, but this is all I have. Happy Halloween. I hope you stay safe.


End file.
